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Shrimp Shawarma Skewers with Lemon Tahini

Shrimp Shawarma Skewers with Lemon Tahini reads sourness 6.5, citrus 6.2 and umami 5.4 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Middle Eastern main, about 27 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 6.3 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 1.9 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 8.3 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 2.5 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 6.1 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 4.4 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Sourness 6.5 · Citrus 6.2 · Umami 5.4 · Richness 4.9 · Salinity 4.7 · Nutty 4.0 · Marine & Briny 3.9 · Allium 3.7 · Herbaceous 2.7 · Warm Spice 2.7 · Heat 2.6 · Earthy 2.2 · Sweetness 1.7 · Bitterness 1.3 · Floral 1.2 · Fruity 0.5

What's in it (14)

• shrimp — 680 g
• garlic — 12 g
• olive oil — 41 g
• cumin — 5 g
• coriander — 1 g
• sweet paprika — 5 g
• cinnamon — 3 g
• cayenne pepper — 1 g
• salt — 6 g
• black pepper — 3 g
• lemons — 130 g
• tahini — 109 g
• cold water — 44 g
• parsley — 7 g

Time & effort: about 27 min (10 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 146.1 kcal, 13.7 g protein, 7.9 g fat, 6.4 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains seafood — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (8 steps)

1. In a large bowl, whisk together 3 of the minced garlic cloves, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, the cumin, coriander, paprika, cinnamon, cayenne, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and the black pepper with the lemon zest and 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice to make the marinade.
2. Add the shrimp to the marinade and toss until every piece is coated; let sit at room temperature 15 minutes (or refrigerate up to 2 hours) while you make the sauce and heat the grill. If using wooden skewers, soak them in water now.
3. While the shrimp marinates, whisk the tahini, the remaining minced garlic clove, the remaining lemon juice, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and the warm water in a small bowl until smooth and pourable, thinning with more water 1 teaspoon at a time if it looks stiff. Set the sauce aside.
4. Thread the marinated shrimp onto skewers, 4-5 per skewer, piercing each shrimp near the tail and again near the head so it lies flat and cooks evenly.
5. Heat a grill or grill pan over high heat and brush the grates with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil.
6. Grill the skewers, turning once, until the shrimp are opaque all the way through and lightly charred at the edges, 2-3 minutes per side, until they reach 145°F internally.
7. Transfer the skewers to a platter and let rest 2 minutes so the juices settle.
8. Drizzle generously with the lemon tahini sauce, scatter with parsley, and serve hot with the remaining sauce and lemon wedges alongside.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Marinated Grouper With Coconut-Ginger Rice — Caribbean
• Mustard Seed Coconut Shrimp Curry — Indian
• Sayadieh (Fish with Spiced Rice) — Lebanese
• Coconut Shrimp Curry — Indian
• Fiesta Baked Salmon — Fusion

Keep reading: what sourness, citrus, umami mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.